1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document management apparatus and method and a recording medium storing a document management program, which have instruction data defining a display format for documents generated during the course of transactions, and more specifically to a document management apparatus and method suitably applicable to computer-based decision making transactions on money, credit, etc., to a recording medium storing a document management program, and to a recording medium storing a decision making program.
2. Description of a Related Art
The time spent handling documents during daily business routines, including waste of time due to loss of documents and absence of an authorizer in charge, has come to be a significant problem to companies. To solve this problem a workflow management system has been developed.
The workflow management system is intended to share information related to office works among different departments and manage the flow of information. By utilizing this workflow management system in a way that matches the kind of transaction performed, it is possible to build and manage various flows of transactions, such as individual work flows differing from one department to another in a company and work flows spanning between different departments, and to transform document delivery and job management into quick and secure electronic transactions. This can eliminate handling of paper documents or bills, nuisance of their management, delay of document processing, or waste of time caused by erroneous delivery or loss of documents. Further, digital flows of transactions allow one to easily grasp the flow and situation of the entire transactions.
When using this workflow management system, the necessary procedure involves first defining a workflow suited to the transactions to be performed, persons in charge of respective transactions and the order of transfer of the transactions, and the conditions of transfer. When executing this workflow, the system is automatically started at client terminals of the staffs according to the definitions and the processed transaction is transferred to the next person in charge.
Such a workflow management system is known to be used mainly in the processing of commodity purchase applications for approval and the management of technical documents. An example of a general decision making system for approving applications of credit line will be described as follows.
The decision making system includes an application subsystem, which prepares an application document based on application data entered by an applicant, and a decision making subsystem, which references the application document from the application subsystem and giving approval accordingly. In such a decision making system, the applicant enters necessary data for application according to an input screen displayed by the application subsystem. Based on the application data thus entered, the application subsystem prepares an application document for approval.
Next, an examiner or authorizer who recognizes having received an application by starting the decision making subsystem references the application document and makes an appropriate decision on the application. The result of decision is notified to the applicant and, when it is approved, the system performs post processing according to the application. When it is not approved, the application is withdrawn. Or the application is filed again.
As described above, the decision making system performs its processing according to the predefined workflow. In such a system, it is required to predefine a data structure of the application document commonly used in the decision making process or transaction and thus the system must be designed and developed by taking the data structure into account. How data is handled by the decision making system will be explained by referring to FIG. 17, which shows an example on-screen display of commonly shared data in a conventional system.
In FIG. 17, reference numeral 101 represents an input screen, which has input fields a-f that are displayed by the application subsystem. Designated 102 is an input screen information list, which represents the correspondence between application input data entered in the input fields a-f on the input screen 101 and setting items of the application document 110. The application input data entered on the input screen 101 are set in the corresponding setting items of the application document 110 according to the input screen information list 102.
Denoted 111 is a display screen which has display fields A-F. The application input data to be set in the application document 110 are set and displayed in corresponding display fields according to a display screen information list 112 described later. The display screen information list 112 defines the correspondence between the application input data set in the application document 110 and the display fields A-F on the display screen 111.
The application input data entered by the applicant into the input fields a-f on the input screen 101 are set by the application subsystem into the corresponding setting items of the application document 110 according to the input screen information list 102. For example, the application input data entered in the input field a is recognized, from the input screen information list 102, as the data to be set in the setting item-1 that corresponds to the input field a, and then set accordingly. For other application input data, the similar processing is carried out to complete the application document 110.
Displaying the application document 110 thus completed first involves generating the display screen 111 for displaying the application document 110 and the display screen information list 112 for defining the correspondence between the display fields on the display screen 111 and the setting items in the application document 110. The display screen 111 are prepared for each type of transaction because different transactions have different display formats in terms of display fields, display information and the like. When the generated display screen 111 is to be displayed, the application input data corresponding to respective display fields are acquired from the application document 110 according to the display screen information list 112 and then set and displayed in the predetermined positions.
In more detail, in displaying the application input data for the setting item-1 of the application document 110, the system first references the display screen information list 112 and determines that the display field for the setting item-1 is a display field A. Next, the system obtains the application input data from the setting item-1 of the application document 110 and makes necessary setting to display the acquired application input data in the display field A on the display screen. For other setting items, the similar processing is performed to set and display the acquired data in the predetermined display fields on the display screen 111.
The above-described workflow management system can be efficiently applied for transactions that use a fixed common data structure. However, as the number of users of the workflow management system increases, a need arises to cope with exceptional processing and there are increasing cases where exceptional transactions cannot be dealt with by the conventional fixed common data structure, resulting in an increase in the number of system modifications.
For example, in a system configuration where a head office LAN and branch offices"" LANs are interconnected via public networks, when the decision making system that has been used only in the head office is also used in remote branch offices, the contents of the application document 110 that are good for use only in the head office may not be appropriate for use in branches. Such a case is described by referring to FIG. 17.
In such an inconvenient case, conventional practice involves making additions or modifications to the data structure of the application document 110, or adding a new application document 110 to the decision making system. Hence, it is necessary to make changes to both subsystems, the application subsystem and the decision making subsystem.
In more detail, when making changes to the conventional application document 110, the conventional procedure is to first review the data structure of the application document 110 used in the decision making system and make necessary changes to suit the data structure to the kind of transactions to be performed. As to the application subsystem, the screen layout of the input screen 101 should be modified to enter necessary information into the modified data structure and at the same time the input screen information list 102 should also be modified. Based on the modified input screen information list, the application input data entered into the modified input screen 101 are used to generate the application document 110.
The decision making subsystem, on the other hand, is required to make changes to the display screen information list 112 and the display screen 111 according to the modified data structure of the application document 110, and to display the display screen 111 based on the application document 110 and the display screen information list 112.
Next, when a new application document 110 is to be added to the decision making system, it is necessary to first generate a new data structure for the application document 110 suited for the transaction to be performed. There are two methods for modifying the application subsystem, i.e., modifying the application subsystem and adding a new application subsystem.
The method of modifying the application subsystem involves newly generating an input screen 101 for entering application input data required by the data structure of the newly added application document 110 and also generating an input screen information list 102. Alternatively, the conventional input screen 101 and input screen information list 102 are modified. Modifications or functional additions are made, such as generating an application document 110 from the application input data entered from the input screen 101 based on the input screen information list 102. In this case, the modification of the decision making subsystem requires changing the display screen 111 and the display screen information list 112 according to the modified data structure of the application document 110.
Next, in the method of newly adding an application subsystem, a display screen 111 and a display screen information list 112 are newly generated. In this case, because of the addition of a new application subsystem, the modification of the decision making subsystem requires adding processing for determining by which application subsystem, conventional or new subsystem, the application document 110 has been generated and also newly generating a display screen 111 and a display screen information list 112 to meet the newly added data structure of the newly generated application document 110. Alternatively, it is necessary to modify the conventional display screen 111 and display screen information list 112 according to the newly added data structure.
As described above, the conventional decision making system has a drawback that to modify the data structure of the application document 110 or to modify the decision making system as a result of addition of transactions requires making changes to both subsystems, i.e., the application subsystem and the decision making subsystem. That is, any change in the data structure or the like on the application document generation side requires a corresponding change on the display side.
This problem is commonly experienced by systems which manage a plurality of documents generated during the course of performing transactions and which display these documents according to their data structure and in response to the execution of the transaction.
The present invention has been accomplished with a view to overcoming the above-described drawback and it is an object of the invention to provide a document management apparatus and method which can display documents under management generated during the course of transactions without the user having to be aware of the data structure of the documents. It is also an object of the invention to provide a recording medium that stores a document management program for such an apparatus and method. It is another object of the invention to provide a recording medium that stores a decision making program capable of displaying application documents under management generated during the course of decision making transactions without the user having to be aware of the data structure of the application documents.
In order to attain the above object, in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, as shown in the fundamental configuration diagram of FIG. 1, there is provided a document management apparatus for managing a plurality of documents each of which has a combination of transaction data and instruction data, the transaction data including variable data entered during the course of a transaction and fixed data for the transaction, the instruction data defining a display format for the transaction data; the document management apparatus comprising: a management information generating means 1 for generating management information used to manage the plurality of documents; a storage means 2 for relating the plurality of documents with the management information generated by the management information generating means and storing the related documents and management information; and a display control means 3 for making a display, based on the management information stored in the storage means 2, to allow selection of one of the documents, and for displaying the selected document in a display format as defined by the instruction data contained in that document.
In this configuration, the document generated by combining the transaction data and the instruction data is associated with the management information generated by the management information generating means 1 and is stored in the storage means 2. Then, the display control means 3 makes a display for selecting one of the plurality of documents based on the management information stored in the storage means 2 and the document selected on this display is displayed in a display format defined by the instruction data contained in this document.
Because a plurality of documents under management are displayed in a display format as specified by the instruction data contained in each document, there is no need for the user to become conscious of the data structure of the document on the document display side. That is, if changes or modifications are made to the data structure or the like on the document generation side, the corresponding modifications will not occur on the display side. Further, in the case where the document display format differs from one transaction to another, because the document display is made in a display format as specified by the instruction data contained in each document, addition of new transactions will not result in corresponding addition of processing on the display side. This eliminates the problem, experienced with the conventional document management apparatus, that any change or modification in the document data structure and addition of transactions on the generation side necessarily requires corresponding modifications on the display side. This also applies to the document management method and the recording medium storing a document management program. It is therefore possible to provide a document management apparatus and method which can display a document without the user being conscious of the data structure of the document generated during the course of a transaction. It is also possible to provide a recording medium storing a document management program, and a recording medium storing a decision making program.
Preferably, the document management apparatus further comprises a document generating means 4 which, in response to a request for generating the document, displays the document into which the variable data can be entered, and combines the variable data entered from the display with the document to generate the document.
In this configuration, the document generating means 4 displays the document capable of receiving inputs at the variable data section, and combines the variable data entered from the display with the document to complete the document. Because a document is generated by reflecting only the input variable data on the document displayed for the input of the variable data, it is possible to display on the display side the document as it appears on the generation side when the variable data is completely entered. This can also be said of the document management method and the recording medium storing a document management program.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document management method for managing a plurality of documents each of which has a combination of transaction data and instruction data, the transaction data including variable data entered during the course of a transaction and fixed data for the transaction, the instruction data defining a display format for the transaction data; the document management method comprising the steps of: generating management information for managing the plurality of documents; relating the plurality of documents with the generated management information and storing the related documents and management information; and making a display, based on the stored management information, to allow selection of one of the documents, and displaying the document selected on the display in a display format as defined by the instruction data contained in that document.
Preferably, the document management method comprises the further step of: in response to a request for generating the document, displaying the document into which the variable data can be entered, and combining the variable data entered from the display with the document to generate the document.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to manage a plurality of documents, each of which has a combination of transaction data and instruction data, the transaction data including variable data entered during the course of a transaction and fixed data for the transaction, the instruction data defining a display format for the transaction data; the computer-readable recording medium storing a document management program for causing the computer to execute the steps of: generating management information for managing the plurality of documents; relating the plurality of documents with the generated management information and storing the related documents and management information; and making a display, based on the stored management information, to allow selection of one of the documents, and displaying the document selected on the display in a display format as defined by the instruction data contained in that document.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a document management program for causing the computer to execute the step of: in response to a request for generating the document, displaying the document into which the variable data can be entered, and combining the variable data entered from the display with the document to generate the document.
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium storing a decision making program for causing a computer to manage a plurality of application documents and to display the application documents so as to make decision on the application documents under management, each of the application documents having application data and instruction data, the application data including variable data entered during the course of a decision making transaction and fixed data for the decision making transaction, the instruction data defining a display format for the application data; the computer-readable recording medium storing a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the steps of: generating management information for managing the plurality of application documents; relating the plurality of application documents with the generated management information and storing the related application documents and management information; and generating application document list display data for displaying an application document list based on the stored management information to allow selection of one of the plurality of application documents, making a display based on the application document list display data, and displaying the application document selected on the display in a display format as defined by the instruction data contained in that application document.
In this configuration, the application document generated by combining the application data and the instruction data is associated with the management information and stored. Then, based on the stored management information the application document list is displayed for selecting one of the plurality of application documents, and the application document selected on this display is displayed in a display format as defined by the instruction data contained in this document. Because, also in the decision making processing, a plurality of application documents under management are each displayed in a display format as specified by the instruction data contained in each application document, there is no need to provide a display means based on the data structure of the application document on the decision making side that manages the application documents. Hence, it is only necessary to prepare a display means that displays the document in a display format as defined by the instruction data contained in each application document. Therefore, even when changes or modifications occur to the data structure of the application document on the application generation side, the above configuration can prevent the corresponding changes from occurring on the decision making side.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the step of: in response to a request for generating the application document, displaying the application document into which the variable data can be entered, and combining the variable data entered from the display with the document to generate the document.
In this configuration, the application document capable of receiving inputs at the variable data section is displayed and the variable data entered from this display is combined with the application document to generate the application document. Therefore, because an application document is generated by reflecting only the input variable data on the application document that is displayed for the input of the variable data, it is possible to display on the display side the application document as it appears on the generation side when the variable data is completely entered. Hence, the display of the application document can be made entirely the same both on the application side and on the decision making side.
Preferably, the application document stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the steps of: relating supplementary information to the management information, the supplementary information being attached to the application document to supplement the content of the application document; and making a display for selecting the supplementary information when the presence of the supplementary information for the application document is recognized based on the management information.
In this configuration, when supplementary information for supplementing the content of the application document is related to the management information and stored, an indication appears that allows the user to select the supplementary information. The authorizer therefore can recognize the presence or absence of the supplementary information for the application document.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the steps of: when generating the management information having a plurality of management items, retrieving as one of the management items an application category for classifying the decision on the application document; retrieving authorizer information for the application document from authorizer information prepared in advance that defines authorizers for each of the application categories; in response to a request from the authorizer, detecting the management information corresponding to the authorizer based on the retrieved authorizer information; and generating the application document list display data for displaying the application document list based on the detected management information.
In this configuration, authorizer information that defines authorizers for each application category that classifies the decisions on the application documents is prepared in advance. In response to a request from an authorizer, the management information associated with the authorizer is detected based on the authorizer information retrieved according to the application category of the management information. Based on the detected management information, the application document list display data is generated. Because the application document list is displayed according to the application document list display data, it is possible to display only a list of application documents under the charge of the authorizer. Further, because the application category that classifies the decision on the application document is used in the management information as one of the management items, even when the kind of application document is added or deleted, this can easily be dealt with by adding or deleting the corresponding application category and the authorizer information associated with that application category.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the step of: when generating the application document list display data for displaying the application document list in response to the request from the authorizer, controlling an order of decision making by the authorizers defined in the authorizer information according to decision order information and decision state information, the decision order information having an order of the authorizers preset in the retrieved authorizer information, the decision state information having a decision state set according to the progress of decision making on the application document.
In this configuration, because the order of decision making by authorizers defined in the authorizer information is controlled based on the decision order information, which predefines the order of authorizers, and the decision state information in the management information, which sets the decision state according to the progress of decision making on the application document, the decision making procedure on the application documents can be performed in the predefined order of authorizers.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the step of: inputting decision state confirmation information to confirm the progress of decision making on the application document; retrieving the management information according to the decision state confirmation information entered; generating decision state display data representing the progress of decision making on the application document based on the management items of the retrieved management information and on the authorizer information; and displaying decision state of the application document based on the decision state display data.
In this configuration, because the decision state display data for displaying the progress of decision making on the application documents is generated according to the management items of the management information and the authorizer information and, based on the decision state display data, the decision state for the application documents is displayed, the authorizer can confirm the state of decision on the application documents under his charge.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the step of: inputting change request information for changing the authorizer; and changing the authorizer information according to the change request information entered.
In this configuration, because the authorizer information is changed according to change request information entered, if an authorizer change occurs as by personnel changes after the application document has been accepted, the necessary change of authorizer can be made quickly. Hence, a delay in decision on the application document, which would otherwise occur as a result of change of authorizer, can be prevented.
Preferably, the computer-readable recording medium stores a decision making program for causing the computer to execute the step of: inputting substitute designation information for designating the authorizer and a substitute person who will perform the decision making on behalf of the authorizer; detecting the authorizer information associated with the authorizer according to the substitute designation information entered; and relating the detected authorizer information with substitute information associated with the substitute person designated by the substitute designation information.
In this configuration, when substitute designation information is entered that specifies an authorizer and a substitute person who acts on behalf of the authorizer, the authorizer information and the substitute information are connected with each other according to the substitute designation information. Hence, even when the authorizer is absent on business trip for example, the authorizer can be quickly replaced with the substitute person, preventing a delay in decision on the application document which would otherwise be caused due to absence of the authorizer in charge.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.